Current Projects

Solarize Northwest Seattle
Solar in Seattle?
Now is a great time to consider solar for your home. Federal tax credits, state “production credits” on the energy generated on your roof, state sales tax waiver (until June 30, 2013) and low-interest alternative energy loans make it more affordable. The Solarize program makes it less complicated, with solid technology and sustainability education, a competitive contractor selection process and expert facilitation.

Ballard Basin, Get RainWise!
Did you know?
Seattle Public Utilities is offering generous rebates to property owners in the Ballard Basin through the RainWise program. 70-100% of the cost for beautiful rain gardens and large-scale cisterns will be rebated when you work with a RainWise-trained contractor. Help reduce toxic run-off and stormwater overflow while also beautifying your yard and conserving water. Click here to learn more!

Green Building and Retrofit Quarterly Talk Series email Eric for details

Home

We can shift our energy use, either by reducing consumption through conservation, or by changing to greener sources. Ultimately, our goal is to move Ballard away from dependence on fossil fuels toward energy independence, by putting energy back into the grid from solar or other green power, or perhaps electric vehicle to grid technology.
We urge people to take the City Light personal energy audit, or explore information at EnergyStar to reduce consumption right now. We would also like to encourage you to Get Carbon Neutral by offsetting your carbon use with a donation to a reputable agency like Native Energy.

The following websites may give you all the information you need to start your own audit:

"How One Family Saved Through an Energy Audit"
"The Home Energy Audit Gets an Update"
Seattle City Light
Department of Energy, Energy Savers
Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy

Built Environment

• UPBD Projects & Events
• UPBD Guild Meetings
• UPBD How-to
• UPBD Links
• UPBD Green Building Impact Report excerpts
• CHECK IT OUT !!!! SeattlePI BUILDING SEATTLE GREEN Blog/ moderated by Danielle Johnson

Citizens Climate Lobby

The Seattle chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby is an effort to promote a federal carbon tax instead of cap and trade programs that are much more complex and difficult to manage.

The method to this is building long-term personal connections with our legislative representatives at the local, state and federal levels. We have met with McDermott, Cantwell and most recently with Dave Reichert from the Eastside. Patty Murray's staff have talked to us, but she seems to defer to Cantwell on this issue.

We meet the first Saturday of each month to hear talking points for the month from experts in the field. A recent talk was from a Navy admiral talking about Arctic ice and whether it makes sense for the big naval vessels to use the opening channels between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans given the impact of the ships on making the ice break into smaller and easier to melt chunks. The Coast Guard, meanwhile, is in contact with the Alaskan and Canadian first nations people about the loss of sea ice and its consequences for their future. Sometimes we hear about how to frame the climate change debate...latest suggestion, think of the world health consequences, increased risk of pandemic, etc. Not just your usual Sky is Falling stuff. Always informative.

Each month we practice a "laser talk" to memorize and use as an "elevator moment" if the chance comes up. We also are encouraged to write letters (real letters, not e-mail) to Congress and to seek out the press as opportunities arise.

Anne Engstrom coordinates this effort under the Greenwood/Phinney SCALLOP. She can give you the call in code if you would like to listen to the monthly talks. You can also contact Andrea at an upcoming SB meeting.

To find out about this effort contact Andrea.